In order to control the rheology of liquid systems, especially liquid coating systems or drilling fluid solutions, rheological auxiliaries used are predominantly organically modified bentonites, silicas, hydrogenated castor oil and polyamide waxes.
A disadvantage of the use of these rheological auxiliaries is that they are usually in the form of dry solids. Consequently, therefore, said rheological auxiliaries are digested prior to use to give an intermediate product using solvents and shear forces. Alternatively, the as yet undigested rheological auxiliaries can also be used by introducing them into the liquid system via specific temperature control. If this temperature control does not follow the specifications, there is typically occurrence of crystallites in the finished coating system that can lead to defects in the coating.
A general drawback of the use of these rheological auxiliaries is that they cause cloudiness and haze in clear transparent coatings. Moreover, it is undesirable to work with dry pulverulent products that can cause dusts in processing.
A liquid use alternative to these solid rheology control agents is that of solutions of specific urea compounds.
Solutions of this kind are frequently used in practice and are described, for example, in the laid-open document DE 2822908, in EP-B1-0006252, in DE-A1-19919482, in EP-A-1188779 and in EP-A-2370489.
Solvents or carrier media used are typically polar aprotic solvents and/or what are called ionic liquids, which are in fact salt melts that are liquid under moderate temperature conditions (usually below 80° C., ideally at room temperature).
The rheology control properties of dissolved urea compounds are usually quite good, but in many cases there is a need for optimization with regard to the storage stability of corresponding urea solutions; in other words, the solution of the urea should not form any precipitates as a result of premature urea crystallization. In practice, this means that a solution of the urea can readily be stored and transported and hence use as a rheological control agent (for example on the part of a paint manufacturer) is possible within a sufficient time window after the actual production of the rheology control agent.
There is further need for optimization with regard to the spectrum of action as a rheology control agent; in other words, there is a need for rheology control agents which enable usability in systems of particularly low polarity in which the known urea compounds are not usable with a satisfactory outcome. Thus, optimized behavior of urea-based rheology control agents is manifested not just in basically improved rheological efficacy but also in compatibility and simultaneously good efficacy in particularly nonpolar application-relevant formulations (for example specific binder systems, purge solutions or other liquid media), preferably with simultaneously excellent storage stability of the corresponding compositions used as rheology control agents.
Laid-open specification DE 2822908 describes thixotropic agents comprising linear urea urethanes bearing alkyl groups and/or alkyl-terminated (poly)alkylene oxide groups as end groups.
EP-B1-0006252 describes a process for producing thixotropic agents in the presence of an aprotic solvent and lithium chloride. The thixotropic agents obtained have the end groups already described in laid-open specification DE 2822908.
DE-A1-19919482 discloses a further development of the process described in EP-B1-0006252, in that specifically monoisocyanate adducts are prepared from diisocyanates and monoalcohols, in order then to react them with diamines in the presence of lithium salts and aprotic solvents. The urea urethanes described in DE-A1-19919482 also contain exclusively saturated end groups optionally containing heteroatoms, or aralkyl groups as end groups. A typical representative of the urea urethanes known from DE-A1-19919482 is obtained in example 12 therein and is based on a monoadduct of one molecule of n-dodecanol onto one molecule of tolylene diisocyanate, which is then reacted with xylylenediamine to give the end product. EP-A1-2370489 presents a further development of the process in which it is possible to dispense with lithium salts, and ionic liquids, i.e. liquid organic salts, are used.
EP-A1-1188779 focuses on urea urethanes as rheology control agents suitable for imparting thixotropy to formulations containing primarily water or water and small amounts of polar organic solvents. It is essential to the invention in EP-A1-1188779 that the end groups of the urea urethanes must necessarily be different than one another. All the examples of EP-A1-1188779 disclose urea urethanes in which at least one of the two end groups is an end group derived from butyltriglycol and/or methoxy polyethylene glycol. Only in examples 8 and 13 are urea urethane solutions prepared that have not only a butyltriglycol-derived end group but also a nonpolar end group, namely an isotridecyl group (derived from isotridecanol).
EP-A1-2292675 in turn describes polymeric ureas which may bear saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbyl groups bonded via urea or urethane groups, or a multitude of different groups which also contain heteroatoms such as oxygen and nitrogen, as end groups. Although example 5 also describes a product oleyl-terminated at both ends, it is obtained using isophorone diisocyanate and hexamethylenediamine.
DE 101 27 290 A1 describes thixotropic unsaturated polyester resin compositions. The thixotropic agents used therein are generally prepared in the presence of the polyester resin. For the preparation, adducts of aliphatic isocyanates and olefinically unsaturated hydroxyl compounds are first prepared, and these are then reacted with aliphatic or araliphatic amines in the polyester resin, optionally also with further reaction with the polyester resin itself. The only olefinically unsaturated hydroxyl compounds specified explicitly are hydroxy (meth)acrylates, which serve for incorporation into the polyester resin at a later stage, in order to display their full effect therein. However, the results in relation to the thixotropic effect of the thixotropic agents of DE 101 27 290 A1 suggest that the nature of the unsaturated polyester resin is of great significance. Unsaturated long-chain hydrocarbyl radicals as end groups of urea urethanes are not mentioned anywhere in DE 101 27 290 A1.
It is thus a particular object of the present invention to provide a correspondingly high-quality rheology control agent. This is to be superior, especially in nonpolar systems, to the known rheology control agents in terms of sagging characteristics on use in coating compositions and/or else is to improve the antisettling characteristics of solids in liquid formulations. Moreover, the adverse properties of the rheology control agents known from the prior art were to be overcome. These and further benefits described hereinafter are achieved through provision of the urea urethanes and urea urethane compositions described hereinafter.
Urea Urethanes
The object of the invention was especially achieved through provision of urea urethanes of the general formula (I)

in which
R1 is a mono- or polyunsaturated, branched or unbranched alkenyl radical having 12 to 24 carbon atoms, a mono- or polyunsaturated, branched or unbranched alkynyl radical having 12 to 24 carbon atoms or a polyunsaturated hydrocarbyl radical which has 12 to 24 carbon atoms and has at least one carbon-carbon double bond and at least one carbon-carbon triple bond,
R2 is a saturated branched or unbranched alkyl radical having 8 to 24 carbon atoms or a mono- or polyunsaturated, branched or unbranched alkenyl radical having 12 to 24 carbon atoms, a mono- or polyunsaturated, branched or unbranched alkynyl radical having 12 to 24 carbon atoms or a polyunsaturated hydrocarbyl radical which has 12 to 24 carbon atoms and has at least one carbon-carbon double bond and at least one carbon-carbon triple bond, and
all n R3 radicals are independently one or more radicals selected from the structural units (IIa-o), (IIa-m), (IIa-p), (IIb-o), (IIb-m) and (IIb-p)

and
all n+1 R4 radicals are independently one or more radicals selected from the structural units (IIIa), (IIIb), (IIIc), (IIId), (IIIe), (IIIf), (IIIg) and (IIIh)

and
n is an integer ≥1, where the upper limit for n arises from the maximum number-average molecular weight Mn of the urea urethanes of the general formula (I) which is 65 000 g/mol and which is determined by means of gel permeation chromatography to DIN 55672-2 using a polymethylmethacrylate standard.
In this context, a specific figure for a maximum value of “n” is unnecessary since it is limited by the fixed upper limit of Mn. What is thus symbolized by “n” is merely that the urea urethanes may be oligomers or polymers when n 1, containing n [NH—R3—NH—CO—NH—R4—NH—CO] units.
Typically, n is an integer from 1 to 150 or 1 to 125, preferably 1 to 100 or 1 to 75 and most preferably 1 to 50 or 1 to 25. In addition, preference is given to values of n=1 to 15, 1 to 10 and 1 to 5.
When n=1, the urea urethanes take the form of compounds having a specific molecular weight. These compounds are particularly preferred herein.
However, the urea urethanes may also be oligomeric or polymeric, meaning that, if n≥2, there may be molecular inhomogeneity; in such cases, these have a weight-average and a number-average molecular weight, where these average values can generally differ from one another to a greater degree with increasing n.
The number-average molar masses of the urea urethanes up to about 1000 g/mol can be determined by means of NMR, for example, by determining the ratios of the integrals of NMR resonance signals in question. The person of average skill in the art is aware that, for higher molecular weight ranges, other processes are preferable rather than NMR spectroscopy for determination of the molecular weights. The number-average molecular weight of the urea urethanes having a molar mass of more than 1000 g/mol is determined in accordance with the description which follows as the number average of the molar mass distribution determined by means of gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The GPC molar mass distribution is determined according to DIN 55672 Part 2 of June 2008. The eluent used is a solution of lithium bromide (content: 5 g/L) in dimethylacetamide. Calibration is accomplished using polymethylmethacrylate standards having narrow distribution and a linear structure and having molecular weights between 1 000 000 and 102 g/mol. The temperature of the column system is 50° C.
On the basis of the smallest R2, R3 and R4 radicals in terms of their molecular weight, when n=1, there is a theoretical lower limit in the molecular weight of the urea urethanes of the general formula (I) of 794 g/mol when a trialkenically unsaturated hydrocarbyl radical having 12 carbon atoms is used as R1, or of 792 g/mol when a dialkynically unsaturated hydrocarbyl radical is used as R1, or of 798 g/mol when a monoalkenically unsaturated hydrocarbyl radical is used as R1, or of 796 g/mol when a monoalkynically unsaturated hydrocarbyl radical is used as R1. Since, when n=1, the compounds are homogeneous under the aforementioned conditions, it is the molecular weight and not the number-average molecular weight Mn or weight-average molecular weight Mw that is typically referred to, since, in the case of molecular homogeneity, the molecular weight=Mn=Mw and the manner in which the average is formed is unimportant.
According to the invention, the upper limit in the number average molecular weight Mn of the inventive urea urethanes of the general formula (I) is 65 000 g/mol, preferably 50 000 g/mol or 30 000 g/mol, more preferably 20 000 g/mol or 10 000 g/mol and most preferably 6000 g/mol, 5000 g/mol or 4000 g/mol.
The bonding sites of the R3 and R4 radicals to the adjacent NH groups in the above formulae are indicated by the * symbol.
Even though no particular definition is required, the terms “alkyl radical”, “alkenyl radical” and “alkynyl radical” herein, in accordance with the standard chemical nomenclature, are regarded as being particular embodiments of aliphatic hydrocarbyl radicals. They are thus radicals which, in accordance with the IUPAC definition of a hydrocarbon, contain exclusively carbon and hydrogen atoms and are thus free of heteroatoms, for example oxygen or nitrogen.
The urea urethanes shown above are referred to hereinafter as urea urethanes of the invention.
Urea Urethane Compositions
The invention further provides urea urethane compositions comprising the urea urethanes of the invention, wherein
the proportion by weight of the urea urethanes of the formula (I) in which both R1 and
R2 radicals are unsaturated is 10% to 100%, based on the totality of the urea urethanes of the formula (I), and
the proportion by weight of the urea urethanes of the formula (I) in which only one of the R1 radicals is unsaturated is 0% to 90%, based on the totality of the urea urethanes of the formula (I).
The aforementioned urea urethane compositions are also referred to herein as urea urethane compositions of the invention.
The urea urethane compositions of the invention may, as well as the inventive urea urethanes of the formula (I), additionally also comprise urea urethanes other than these. Such urea urethanes other than the urea urethanes of the invention may, for example, be urea urethanes bearing the R1, R3 and R4 radicals as defined in accordance with the invention and containing an R2 radical that differs from the R2 radicals of the invention in that it contains a smaller or greater number of carbon atoms and/or contains oxygen atoms and hence is not a hydrocarbyl radical. A radical of this kind could, for example, contain one or more ether oxygen atoms, as is the case, for example, in a di-, tri- or tetraethylene glycol monobutyl ether radical. If noninventive urea urethanes of this kind are present in the urea urethane compositions of the invention, these can be introduced subsequently into the urea urethane compositions of the invention or else form in situ. The latter is possible, for example, when small amounts of the monoadducts of diisocyanate and noninventive alcohol are present in the reaction of the monoadducts usable in accordance with the invention with the diamines usable in accordance with the invention.
In a preferred embodiment, however, at least 50% by weight of all urea urethanes in the urea urethane composition have a structure (I). More preferably, at least 50% by weight of all urea urethanes in the urea urethane composition have a structure (I) in which both R1 and R2 are unsaturated, preferably ethylenically unsaturated.
In a further preferred embodiment of the urea urethane compositions of the invention, the proportion by weight of the urea urethanes of the formula (I) in which both R1 and R2 radicals are unsaturated is 20% to 100%, based on the totality of the urea urethanes of the formula (I), and
the proportion by weight of the urea urethanes of the formula (I) in which only the R1 radical is unsaturated is 0% to 80%, based on the totality of the urea urethanes of the formula (I).
In a preferred embodiment of the urea urethane compositions of the invention, the proportion by weight of the urea urethanes of the formula (I) in which both R1 and R2 radicals are unsaturated is 50% to 100%, based on the totality of the urea urethanes of the formula (I), and
the proportion by weight of the urea urethanes of the formula (I) in which only the R1 radical is unsaturated is 0% to 50%, based on the totality of the urea urethanes of the formula (I).
In a preferred embodiment of the urea urethane compositions of the invention, the proportion by weight of the urea urethanes of the formula (I) in which both R1 and R2 radicals are unsaturated is 70% to 100%, based on the totality of the urea urethanes of the formula (I), and
the proportion by weight of the urea urethanes of the formula (I) in which only the R1 radical is unsaturated is 0% to 30%, based on the totality of the urea urethanes of the formula (I).
In a preferred embodiment of the urea urethane compositions of the invention, the proportion by weight of the urea urethanes of the formula (I) in which both R1 and R2 radicals are unsaturated is 80% to 100%, based on the totality of the urea urethanes of the formula (I), and
the proportion by weight of the urea urethanes of the formula (I) in which only the R1 radical is unsaturated is 0% to 20%, based on the totality of the urea urethanes of the formula (I).
In a preferred embodiment of the urea urethane compositions of the invention, the proportion by weight of the urea urethanes of the formula (I) in which both R1 and R2 radicals are unsaturated is 90% to 100%, based on the totality of the urea urethanes of the formula (I), and
the proportion by weight of the urea urethanes of the formula (I) in which only the R1 radical is unsaturated is 0% to 10%, based on the totality of the urea urethanes of the formula (I).
In a further embodiment, the urea urethane compositions of the invention contain 100% urea urethanes of the formula (I) in which both R1 and R2 radicals are unsaturated, preferably ethylenically unsaturated, based on the totality of the urea urethanes of the formula (I).
In a preferred embodiment of the urea urethanes of the invention and of the urea urethane compositions of the invention that comprise them,
the R1 radical is a mono- or polyunsaturated, branched or unbranched alkenyl radical having 12 to 20 carbon atoms,
the R2 radical is a saturated branched or unbranched alkyl radical having 8 to 20 carbon atoms or a mono- or polyunsaturated, branched or unbranched alkenyl radical having 12 to 20 carbon atoms,
the n R3 radicals are independently one or more radicals selected from the structural units (IIIa-m) and (IIa-p), and
the n+1 R4 radicals are independently one or more radicals of the structural units (IIIa) and (IIIb).
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the urea urethanes of the invention and of the urea urethane compositions of the invention that comprise them,
the R1 radical is a monounsaturated alkenyl radical having 16 to 20 carbon atoms,
the R2 radical is a saturated branched alkyl radical having 10 to 16 carbon atoms or a monounsaturated alkenyl radical having 16 to 20 carbon atoms,
the n R3 radicals are independently one or more radicals selected from the structural units (IIa-m) and (IIa-p), and
the n+1 R4 radicals are independently one or more radicals of the structural units (IIIa) and (IIIb).
In a very particularly preferred embodiment of the urea urethanes of the invention and of the urea urethane compositions of the invention that comprise them, the R1 radical is an unbranched octadecenyl radical, preferably an oleyl radical, the R2 radical is a branched or unbranched C10-C14 radical, preferably an isotridecyl radical, or an unbranched octadecenyl radical, preferably an oleyl radical, the n R3 radicals are a radical of the structural unit (IIa-m), and the n+1 R4 radicals are independently one or more radicals of the structural units (IIIa) and (IIIb).
For all embodiments of the urea urethanes of the invention and of the urea urethane compositions that comprise them, the structural units (IIIa) and (IIIb) are preferably present in the n+1 R4 radicals in a molar ratio of 40:60 up to a molar ratio of 100:0; even more preferably, the structural units (IIIa) and (IIIb) are present in the n+1 R4 radicals in a molar ratio of 50:50 up to a molar ratio of 100:0; and most preferably, the structural units (IIIa) and (IIIb) are present in the n+1 R4 radicals in a molar ratio of 60:40 up to a molar ratio of 100:0.
For embodiments of the urea urethanes of the invention and of the urea urethane compositions of the invention that comprise them, it is preferably the case that R1 and R2 are a mono- or polyunsaturated, more preferably monounsaturated, branched or unbranched, more preferably unbranched, alkenyl radical having 12 to 20 and more preferably 16 to 20 carbon atoms. More preferably, for all embodiments, R1═R2; most preferably, R1═R2=oleyl.
For practical applicability, it is appropriate to provide the urea urethane compositions of the invention in liquid form, preferably in liquid form under application conditions, more preferably in liquid form at room temperature, i.e. at 25° C. Preferably, the urea urethanes of the invention are in dissolved form in the urea urethane compositions of the invention at room temperature.
Suitable solvents are especially aprotic organic solvents. Particularly suitable solvents are polar aprotic organic solvents, most preferably those that are selected from the group of the amides, lactams, sulfoxides and ionic liquids (i.e. organic salts having a melting point of ≤80° C.). It is therefore preferable to conduct the preparation of corresponding urea urethane compositions of the invention in these polar aprotic organic solvents or ionic liquids.
Particularly preferred polar aprotic organic solvents here are substituted or to unsubstituted, preferably unsubstituted, N-alkylpyrrolidones, dialkyl sulfoxides, substituted or unsubstituted amides, especially carboxamides. Examples of N-alkylpyrrolidones are N-methylpyrrolidone, N-ethylpyrrolidone, N-octylpyrrolidone and N-hydroxyethylpyrrolidone. One example of a dialkyl sulfoxide is dimethyl sulfoxide. Examples of amides are N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N,N-dialkylamido alkyl esters, N,N-dialkylamido alkyl ethers, hexamethylphosphoramide and acylmorpholines. Preferred ionic liquids that are suitable as solvents are substituted imidazolium salts, for example 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethylsulfate, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ethylsulfate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate. Corresponding solvents can also be used in combinations.
Among the solvents, preference is given to dimethyl sulfoxide and especially those N-alkylpyrrolidones wherein the nitrogen-bonded alkyl radical is linear or branched, preferably linear, and the alkyl radical contains 1 to 20 or preferably 2 to 20, more preferably 3 to 16 and most preferably 4 to 12 carbon atoms, and also N,N-dimethylamido alkyl esters, N,N-dimethylamido alkyl ethers, formylmorpholine and acetylmorpholine.
In order to improve the dissolution properties of the solvents, salts, i.e. ionogenic compounds, are frequently also added. These are preferably salts of cations of main groups I and II of the Periodic Table of the Elements (alkali metals and alkaline earth metals) or ammonium salts, preferably lithium, calcium or magnesium salts, more preferably lithium or calcium salts. Preferred anions are monovalent anions, more preferably halide, pseudohalide, formate, acetate and/or nitrate, most preferably chloride, acetate and/or nitrate.
Preparation of the Urea Urethanes of the Invention and of the Urea Urethane Compositions of the Invention
The urea urethane composition of the invention can be prepared in a known manner by reacting corresponding isocyanates with amines. Preparation processes for urea urethanes of this kind are described in detail, for example, in EP-B1-0006252, DE 2822908, DE 19919482, EP 1188779 and EP-A1-2370489. Preferably, the preparation of the urea urethane composition also takes place by these aforementioned preparation processes.
Preferred urea urethane compositions are therefore those in which the composition has been obtained by such a preparation process.
For example, it is first possible to prepare one or more monoadducts from one or more monoalcohols of the structures R1OH and/or R2OH and one or more diisocyanates OCN—R4—NCO, which results in monoadducts of the formula R1—O—(CO)—NH—R4—NCO or R2—O—(CO)—NH—R4—NCO as adducts. These monoadducts can be obtained, for example, using an excess of diisocyanate, in which case, after preparation thereof, the excess diisocyanate can be removed, for example by distillation.
The monoadducts can then be reacted with one or more diamines of the structure H2N—R3—NH2 to give the end product.
Rather than the aforementioned diamines, it is also possible to use one or more prepolymers, NH2-terminated at both ends, of one or more of the aforementioned diamines and one or more of the aforementioned diisocyanates. Subsequently, the prepolymer(s) is/are reacted with the monoadduct.
In a further illustrative embodiment, the monoadduct(s) is/are reacted in a one-pot reaction with a mixture of the diamine(s) of the structure H2N—R3—NH2 and one or more diisocyanates OCN—R4—NCO to give the urea urethane (I).
In a further alternative, the monoadduct(s) is/are reacted with one or more prepolymers NH2-terminated at both ends or a mixture of one or more diamines of the structure H2N—R3—NH2 and one or more prepolymers NH2-terminated at both ends, and also one or more diisocyanates of the formula OCN—R4—NCO to give the urea urethane (I).
It is also possible to use a diisocyanate OCN—R4—NCO and a diamine H2N—R3—NH2 to prepare a prepolymer NCO-terminated at both ends, and to react this prepolymer with monoalcohols of the structures R1OH and/or R2OH in order to arrive at the urea urethanes of the present invention.
In all the aforementioned cases, however, it is necessary for at least one monoalcohol of the formula R1OH to be used.
The reactions preferably take place in the aforementioned polar aprotic solvents. Urea urethanes themselves can, if desired, be obtained for example by distillative removal of the solvents.
Fields of Use of the Urea Urethanes of the Invention and of the Urea Urethane Compositions of the Invention
The urea urethanes of the invention and the urea urethane compositions that comprise them exhibit particularly good rheological efficacy in nonpolar binder systems, for example long oil alkyds, medium oil alkyds, NAD (nonaqueous dispersion) systems, TPA (thermoplastic acrylate) systems. The rheological efficacy of the composition can be determined, for example, from the sag resistance, i.e. the sagging limit, of a corresponding paint formulation.
Surprisingly, the urea urethanes of the invention or the urea urethane compositions of the invention that comprise them can also be used in formulations that are low in organic binders or even free of organic binders, for example in what are called drilling fluid solutions.
The urea urethanes of the invention and the urea urethane compositions that comprise them are therefore preferably rheology control agents, more preferably thixotropic agents, each of which likewise form part of the subject matter of the present invention.
A further field of use of the urea urethanes of the invention and of the urea urethane compositions that comprise them is that of use as an antisettling agent, i.e. as an additive that delays or even prevents the sedimentation of solid particles in liquid systems; these particles here may be either inorganic or organic in nature. Examples of useful corresponding systems include paint, adhesive, lubricant and polymer formulations, and also drilling fluid solutions (frequently in the form of W/O emulsions in which the continuous phase is a hydrocarbon and the disperse phase is aqueous) and nonaqueous slurries (for example slurries of guar or xanthan in a hydrocarbon), as used in gas and oil production.
The urea urethane compositions of the invention additionally exhibit marked compatibility in nonpolar systems in particular, meaning that formation of specks, haze and/or cloudiness in such formulations, for example coating compositions, especially those based on nonpolar solvents, is reduced or ideally entirely eliminated compared to the alternatives known from the prior art.
At the same time, solutions of the composition of the invention have excellent storage stability, meaning that no crystallization of the urea urethanes takes place over extended periods of time in suitable solvents, which can also be used in combination.
Preferred solvents here are substituted or unsubstituted, preferably unsubstituted, N-alkylpyrrolidones, dialkyl sulfoxides, substituted or unsubstituted amides, especially carboxamides. Examples of N-alkylpyrrolidones are N-methylpyrrolidone, N-ethylpyrrolidone, N-octylpyrrolidone and N-hydroxyethyl pyrrolidone. One example of a dialkyl sulfoxide is dimethyl sulfoxide. Examples of amides are N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N,N-dialkylamido alkyl esters, N,N-dialkylamido alkyl ethers, hexamethylphosphoramide and acylmorpholines. Preferred ionic liquids that are suitable as solvents are substituted imidazolium salts, for example 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethylsulfate, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ethylsulfate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate.
Among the solvents, preference is given to dimethyl sulfoxide and especially those N-alkylpyrrolidones wherein the nitrogen-bonded alkyl radical is linear or branched, preferably linear, and preferably contains 1 to 20, more preferably 3 to 16 and most preferably 4 to 12 carbon atoms, and also N,N-dimethylamido alkyl esters, N,N-dimethylamido alkyl ethers, formylmorpholine and acetylmorpholine.
It is likewise possible to use various urea urethanes of the invention, urea urethane compositions of the invention, rheology control agents of the invention, thixotropic agents of the invention or antisettling agents of the invention in combination, i.e. a mixture of such substances, compositions or agents, preferably for rheology control, especially for imparting thixotropy, or as antisettling agents.
The present invention therefore further provides for the use of the urea urethanes of the invention or of the urea urethane compositions of the invention as antisettling agents or as rheology control agents, preferably as thixotropic agents, in each case in liquid formulations, preferably those that are liquid at room temperature (25° C.).
These liquid formulations are preferably coating compositions, for example paints and varnishes, or polymer formulations, pigment pastes, sealant formulations, cosmetics, ceramic formulations, drilling fluid solutions for gas and oil production, nonaqueous slurries, cleaning compositions, adhesive formulations, potting compounds, building material formulations, lubricants, spackling compounds, printing inks or other inks, for example inkjet inks.
Preferred liquid formulations are anhydrous or contain only small amounts of water. A small amount of water is understood herein to mean a water content of not more than 5% by weight, preferably not more than 2% by weight and more preferably not more than 1% by weight.
In a further particular embodiment, the liquid formulation forms the continuous phase of what is called a water-in-oil emulsion. The abovementioned amounts of water in that case relate solely to the liquid formulation present prior to the formation of the emulsion (i.e. the later “oil phase”). The proportion of water that merges from the aqueous phase into the continuous phase on formation of the emulsion is extremely small and is not taken into account here.
The water-in-oil emulsion, based on its total weight, may quite possibly have a water content of, for example, 20% or 30% by weight. Typical water-in-oil emulsions are what are called drilling muds, preferably oil drilling muds, which likewise form part of the subject matter of the present invention.
The paints and varnishes, printing inks and other inks, especially inkjet inks, may be either solventborne or solvent-free paints and varnishes, printing inks and other inks, such as inkjet inks. Paints and varnishes are usable in a wide variety of different fields of use, including in the field of automotive paint systems, architectural coatings, protective coatings (painting of ships and bridges inter alia), can and coil coatings, wood and furniture coatings, industrial coatings, polymer paint systems, wire coatings, coatings for food and drink and seed, and also what are called color resists which are used for color filters, for example in liquid-crystal displays. The field of use of paints and varnishes also includes pasty materials generally having a very high proportion of solids and a small proportion of liquid components, for example what are called pigment pastes or else pastes based on finely divided metal particles or metal powders (for example based on silver, copper, zinc, aluminum, bronze, brass). Pastes of this kind that comprise the urea urethanes or urea urethane compositions of the invention likewise form part of the subject matter of the present invention.
The polymer formulations are preferably liquid formulations, more preferably those that are liquid at room temperature, i.e. 25° C., for production of polymer materials which are preferably converted to a thermoset by a chemical crosslinking process (“curing”). Preferred polymer preparations are therefore unsaturated polyester resins, vinyl ester resins, acrylate resins, epoxy resins, polyurethane resins, formaldehyde resins (such as melamine-formaldehyde or urea-formaldehyde). These may be cured under a wide variety of different conditions, for example at room temperature (cold-curing systems) or at elevated temperature (hot-curing systems), optionally also with application of pressure (“closed-mold” application, sheet molding compounds or bulk molding compounds). The preferred polymer formulations also include PVC plastisols.
The cosmetic formulations may be manifold liquid compositions that are used in the personal care sector or else in the healthcare sector, for example lotions, creams, pastes, for example toothpaste, foams, for example shaving foams, gels, for example shaving gels, shower gels, medicaments formulated in gel form, hair shampoos, liquid soaps, nail varnishes, lipsticks or hair colorants.
The drilling fluid solutions are liquids which are pumped through the well in a drilling operation. In general, they are suspensions of solid inorganic particles that are frequently produced by means of a special mixer. They are preferably what are called oil-based drilling fluid solutions in which the continuous liquid phase consists of an organic liquid medium (generally a hydrocarbon) in which inorganic constituents such as barium sulfate are suspended, and which are frequently also in the form of an inverse emulsion, i.e. of an emulsion of water droplets in the organic medium. Likewise used with preference in gas and oil production are nonaqueous slurries, which are preferably suspensions of organic compounds, preferably polysaccharides (e.g. xanthan gum or guar gum), in hydrocarbons, which are often used as pumpable media with the aim of later thickening of aqueous media (for example in what is called hydraulic fracturing).
The lubricants are compositions which are used for lubrication, i.e. those which serve to reduce friction and wear, and for force transmission, cooling, vibration damping, sealing action and corrosion protection, preference being given here to liquid lubricants and lubricant greases.
The adhesives may be any process materials which are liquid under processing conditions and which can join adherends by virtue of areal bonding and internal strength. These adhesives may preferably be solvent-containing or solvent-free.
Finally, the present invention relates to the abovementioned liquid formulations comprising the urea urethanes of the invention or the urea urethane compositions of the invention.
The proportion of urea urethanes of the invention in the liquid formulations of the invention, especially the coating compositions, polymer formulations, pigment pastes, sealing formulations, cosmetics, ceramic formulations, nonaqueous slurries and drilling fluid solutions for gas and oil production, adhesive formulations, potting compounds, building material formulations, lubricants, spackling compounds, printing to inks or other inks, based on the total weight of the liquid formulation, is preferably 0.1% to 5% by weight, more preferably 0.15% to 3% by weight and most preferably 0.2% to 2.0% by weight.
Preferably, the liquid formulations of the invention additionally comprise one or more hydrocarbons selected from the group of the aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic and araliphatic hydrocarbons. More preferably, the hydrocarbon(s) is/are present in the liquid formulation to an extent of at least 10% by weight to 99% by weight based on the total weight of the liquid formulation. Preferred lower limits for the content of hydrocarbons in the liquid formulation are, for example, 15% or 20% by weight. However, the preferred upper limits may also be lower than 99% by weight, for example 80% by weight, 70% by weight or even 25% by weight.
The present invention is to be additionally elucidated in detail hereinafter by examples.